Lawyer for Kavanaugh accuser sends letter to senators with list of demands

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 1:54 PM PT — Thurs. Sept. 20, 2018

FILE – In this Sept. 6, 2018, file photo, President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh waits to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee for the third day of his confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Brett Kavanaugh’s accuser will have until Friday to make a decision on whether she will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Chairman Chuck Grassely set the deadline in a letter he sent to the attorney of Christine Blasey Ford on Wednesday, giving the woman until Friday morning to respond to the committee’s invitation scheduled for Monday.

In the letter directed to Ford’s attorney, Grassley wrote “you have stated repeatedly that Dr. Ford wants to tell her story and I sincerely hope she will accept my invitation to do so — either privately or publicly — on Monday.”

The chairman has given Ford several options to either speak in public or private before the committee, and even offered to send Senate staffers to California to speak with her privately.

Ford initially agreed to testify before the committee, but later backtracked. She said she will only due so if the FBI opens an investigation into the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh.

In response, Grassely argued its not the FBI’s role to investigate such matters. He said if Ford refuses to testify then the committee will have no choice but to move forward with a confirmation vote.

President Trump also rejected Ford’s request, arguing the FBI has already refused to look into the claims because its not within the bureau’s jurisdiction.

“Well, I would let the senators take their course, let the senators do it…they’re doing a very good job,” stated President Trump. “They’ve given tremendous amounts of time, they’ve already postponed a major hearing and really, they’re hurting somebody’s life very badly and its very unfair, I think.”

Republicans have accused Democrats of using Ford’s allegations to stall confirmation proceedings and support Grassley’s decision to continue with a vote if Ford rejects the committee’s invitation to tell her story.